inconvenience
Americannoun
-
inconveniences
plural
-
the quality or state of being inconvenient.
-
an inconvenient circumstance or thing; something that causes discomfort, trouble, etc.
verb (used with object)
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inconveniences,
present (3rd person singular)
-
inconvenienced,
past participle, past
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inconveniencing
present participle
noun
-
the state or quality of being inconvenient
-
something inconvenient; a hindrance, trouble, or difficulty
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
inconveniencesimple
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inconveniencessimple
-
have inconveniencedperfect
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has inconveniencedperfect
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am inconveniencingprogressive
-
are inconveniencingprogressive
-
is inconveniencingprogressive
-
have been inconveniencingperfect progressive
-
has been inconveniencingperfect progressive
Past
-
inconveniencedsimple
-
had inconveniencedperfect
-
was inconveniencingprogressive
-
were inconveniencingprogressive
-
had been inconveniencingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of inconvenience
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word inconvenientia. See in- 3, convenience
Explanation
An inconvenience is an annoying occurrence that makes you go out of your way, like the inconvenience of a detour that takes you off your usual route, or the inconvenience of the door bell ringing just as you are about to take a dish out of the oven. The noun inconvenience, pronounced "in-cun-VEE-nyent," comes from the Latin word inconvenientia, from in-, meaning “not,” and convenient-, meaning “agreeing, fitting.” That meaning still holds true for inconvenience: something that doesn’t fit easily into your life, though it doesn't cause suffering, either. Use it to describe small irritations, like the inconvenience of an airport delay.
Vocabulary lists containing inconvenience
The Giver
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 26–31
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"We expect this to cause inconvenience for some passengers, and we sincerely apologise for this. Those due to travel today, should still arrive at the airport in line with Airline advice."
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
The company said it would deposit 2,500 Bilt rewards points to affected customers for their inconvenience, and offered to work directly with customers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
“I’m really sorry for the inconvenience but I had to make sure everybody’s OK.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Kohli-Lynch said one reason is that measuring apoB generally requires an additional blood test beyond the standard cholesterol panel, increasing both cost and inconvenience.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 6, 2026
Joe didn’t want babies either so all those miscarriages—two in the field, only one in her bed—were more inconvenience than loss.
From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison
In a press conference before landing, Christina Koch said the inconveniences, such as freeze-dried food or a toilet without much privacy, were worth it.
From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026
Meanwhile, wide adoption has brought new inconveniences, as even power users feel awkward talking to their laptops.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2026
As federal judges, we recognize that certain risks and inconveniences accompany a position of public trust like ours.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 11, 2026
Small inconveniences you overlook on vacation can become major issues when they are part of your daily life.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 29, 2025
Mandy lived with us as cook and godmother of our children—and secret performer of small magic to protect us from colds, broken crockery, and the sundry inconveniences of a royal household.
From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
In both cases, an individual is inconvenienced to improve the overall environment, making it healthier for everyone.
From Salon ● May 1, 2026
However, some ways of being inconvenienced are more draining than others.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 19, 2026
But the crowds and snarled traffic have inconvenienced some including Eric Stein, a Park City resident, who said he can’t wait for the festival to leave town.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 31, 2026
Gray calls this attitude part of “conspicuous resilience,” conflating being temporarily displaced and inconvenienced with being oppressed and vulnerable, leading to the celebration and glorification of a recovery that mostly benefits the few.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2025
How does she feel more inconvenienced than me?
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
"I hope it's a beautiful wedding...but I think they should do it somewhere that's less inconveniencing to general populace of New York City," she laughed.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
The NFL is cautious about inconveniencing 75,000 fans for a relatively small bump in viewership.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2025
She later apologized to her security detail, secretaries and driver for inconveniencing them by starting at such an early hour.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025
Aside from inconveniencing other moviegoers as they shuffle past, stepping on toes and grabbing seatbacks after the lights have gone down, they’re missing every single trailer for an upcoming attraction.
From Salon ● May 22, 2025
You must fulfill your obligation for inconveniencing her.
From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
